Tuesday, April 16, 2013

So I have this amazing critique partner, Jessie Humphries, who wrote an incredible book. Not only did she write a book that was amazing, but she EDITED IT like editing was an extreme sport. I have never seen-- or even heard-- of anyone working as hard as she did on making a book as fabulous as possible before they got a book deal. I thought I was insane in my pre- submitting to editors edits, but Jessie blew me out of the water like nobody's business. This girl went to unbelievable lengths on her book, and it paid off big time.

Her publisher had been scouring through submissions for many months to find the perfect one to launch a new, unique, groundbreaking line, and found the perfect book in Jessie's submission, and snatched it up in a heartbeat.

And because her book was perfected before even going on sub (I'm talking perfected in a way that blew away her agent. In a way that her editor said he's never witnessed before), it's coming out in a mind-blowing TWO MONTHS FROM NOW!

The power of revisions.

So go congratulate her! The girl is an incredible example of what to do so editors can't bear to tell you no.

So awesome - I've always rooted for Jessie because she's worked so dang hard for this, and because she seems like a genuinely wonderful person with a great sense of humor. She makes me believe that if you keep trying, it can happen (and in bigger and better ways than you ever imagined).

I write action / adventure books for middle grade readers, and I'm represented by Sara Crowe of Pippin Properties. I have two books released-- SKY JUMPERS and THE FORBIDDEN FLATS (both action / adventure, for ages 8 and up, with Random House Children's Books). I love happy kids even more than I love cookies, I make lists as often as I eat lunch, and I love having every light in the house on almost as much as I love writing.